Relevance of the electronegativity of boron in eta5-coordinating ligands: regioselective monoalkylation and monoarylation in cobaltabisdicarbollide [3,3'-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]- clusters

Regioselective monoalkylation and monoarylation in cobaltabisdicarbollide clusters has been achieved starting from Cs[8-I-3,3'-Co(1,2-C(2)B(9)H(10))(1',2'-C(2)B(9)H(11))] by cross-coupling reactions between a B-I fragment and an appropriate Grignard reagent in the presence of a Pd catalyst and CuI. A considerable number of monoalkylated and monoarylated derivatives have been synthesized, which allowed study of the influence of boron in metallocene-type ligands and the effect of alkyl and aryl substituents on boron in boron anionic clusters. Experimental data from UV/Vis spectroscopy, E(1/2) measurements, and X-ray diffraction analysis, and supported by EHMO and ab initio analyses, indicate that the participation of metal d orbitals in the HOMO is less than that in typical metallocene complexes. This can be explained in terms of the lower electronegativity of boron compared to carbon. Related to this is the -I character of alkyl groups when bonded to boron in boron anionic clusters, contrary to the common belief that alkyl groups are generally electron-releasing moieties.     

Unusual 9-->10 rearrangement of the substituted cage carbon in the ferratricarbollide series. Synthesis of the isomeric complexes [2-eta 5-(C5H5)-10-X-closo-2,1,7,10-FeC3B8H10] (where X = H2N, MeHN, Me2N, and ButHN)

Treatment of the zwitterionic amine tricarbollides of general formula 7-L-nido-7,8,9-C3B8H10 (1) (where L = Me2HN (1c) and ButH2N (1d)) with [(eta 5-C5H5)Fe(CO)2]2 in refluxing mesitylene resulted in the formation of a mixture of the known compounds [2-(eta 5-C5H5)-9-X-closo-2,1,7,9-FeC3B8H10] (2) (where X = H2N (2a), Me2N (2c), and ButHN (2d)) and a series of new, isomeric ferratricarbollylamines [2-(eta 5-C5H5)-10-X-closo-2,1,7,10-FeC3B8H10] (3) (where X = H2N (3a), Me2N (3c), and ButHN (3d)) in moderate yields. Complexes of type 3 (where X = H2N (3a), MeHN (3b), Me2N (3c), and ButHN (3d)) were also obtained readily by heating complexes of type 2 (where X = H2N (2a), MeHN (2b), Me2N (2c), ButHN (2d), and Bu(t)(Me)N (2e)) at ca. 300 degrees C for 10 min. All the complexes of type 3 contain reactive amine functions in meta positions with respect to the metal center. The observed 9-->10 rearrangement of the substituted cluster carbon is quite unexpected and is believed to result from higher thermodynamic stability of the 10-substituted isomers. The structures of all compounds of type 3 were established by high-field NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and that of 3d was determined by an X-ray diffraction study.     

Designed synthesis of new ortho-carborane derivatives: from mono- to polysubstituted frameworks

The use of nucleophilic and electrophilic processes allow the designed synthesis of several B-iodinated derivatives of o-carborane. Because of the straightforward Pd-catalyzed conversion of B-I to B-C bond with Grignard reagents, such as methylMgBr and biPhenylMgBr, both, symmetrical 3,6-R 2-1,2- closo-C 2B 10H 10 and asymmetrical 3-I-6-Me-1,2- closo-C 2B 10H 10 could be obtained. Not only conventional reactions in solution have been studied but also a highly efficient, clean and fast solvent-free procedure has provided successful results to regioselectively produce B-iodinated o-carborane derivatives by a careful control of the reaction conditions. The high number of nonequivalent leaving groups in boron iodinated o-carborane derivatives opens the possibility through B-C coupling to materials with novel possibilities and to self-assembling due to the enhanced polarizability of the C-H bond.     

Synthesis of small carboranylsilane dendrons as scaffolds for multiple functionalizations

Small carbosilane dendrons in which a closo-carborane is located at the focal point have been prepared by a sequence of steps involving hydrosilylation and reduction reactions. These compounds are used as scaffolds for peripheral functionalization with styrene, chlorovinylstyrene, or suitable carboranes, while keeping the C(cluster)-Si (C(c)-Si) bond. Modification of the core by reduction of the carborane with Mg/BrCH2CH2Br was also achieved.     

Synthesis of quadruped-shaped polyfunctionalized o-carborane synthons

o-Carborane derivatives with precisely defined patterns of substitution have been prepared from 8,9,10,12-I(4)-1,2-closo-C(2)B(10)H(8) by replacing the iodine atoms, bonded to four adjacent boron vertices in the cluster, with allyl, and subsequently 3-hydroxypropyl groups. The resulting structures, comprising four pendant arms and two reactive vertices located on opposite sides of a central o-carborane core, can be envisaged as versatile precursors for dendritic growth.     

"Water-stable boron-iodinated dicarbollide dianions [7,8-nido-C2H2B9I9]2- and [7,8-nido-C2H2B9I8H]2-"

The reaction of 3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12-I(9)-1,2-closo-C(2)B(10)H(3) with KOH/EtOH gave a mixture of the boron periodinated [1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10,11-I(9)-7,8-nido-C(2)B(9)H(2)](2-) and the highly iodinated on boron [1,2,4,5,6,9,10,11-I(8)-7,8-nido-C(2)B(9)H(3)](2-) in approximately 50% each. Moreover, 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12-I(10)-1,2-closo-C(2)B(10)H(2) was reacted with KOH/EtOH to purely produce [1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10,11-I(9)-7,8-nido-C(2)B(9)H(2)](2-). It is the first dinegative dicarbollide stable in water or protic solvent reported in literature.     

Color tuning of a nickel complex with a novel N2S2 pyridine-containing macrocyclic ligand

The novel pyridine-containing 14-membered macrocycle 3,11-dithia-7,17-diazabicyclo[11.3.1]heptadeca-1(17),13,15-triene (L), which contains an N2S2 donor set, was synthesized, and its protonation behavior was studied by absorption titration with CH3SO3H. The reaction of L with Pd(II) was studied spectroscopically, and the square-planar complex [Pd(L)](BF4) was isolated and characterized. The reactions between L and NiX2 x 6 H2O (X = BF4, ClO4) in ethanol or acetonitrile afforded the octahedral complexes [Ni(CH3CN)(H2O)(L)](X)2 and [Ni(H2O)2(L)](X)2, respectively. The square-planar complexes [Ni(L)](X)2 were obtained by heating these octahedral complexes. Spectrophotometric titrations of [Ni(L)](BF4)2 were performed with neutral and negatively charged ligands. The color of nitromethane solutions of this square-planar complex turns from red to cyan, purple, blue, yellow-green, and pink following addition of halides, acetonitrile, water, pyridine, and 2,2'-bipyridine, respectively. X-ray structural analyses were carried out on the {[Ni(ClO4)(H2O)(L)][Ni(H2O)2(L)]}(ClO4)3, [Ni(CH3CN)(H2O)(L)](ClO4)2, [{Ni(L)}2(mu-Cl)2](ClO4)2, and [{Ni(L)}2(mu-Br)2]Br2 x 2 CH3NO2 complexes.     

Unique self-assembled 2D metal-tetrazolate networks: crystal structure and magnetic properties of [M(pmtz)2](M = Co(II) and Fe(II); Hpmtz = 5-(pyrimidyl)tetrazole)

The title compounds, which have been prepared from M(II) salts (M = Co and Fe) and 5-(pyrimidyl)tetrazole under hydrothermal conditions, are isomorphous and exhibit a 2D square-grid-like structure; the cobalt complex is a spin-canted antiferromagnet with Tc= 15 K.     

Approaches to the preparation of carborane-containing carbosilane compounds

[Structure: see text] A novel type of carborane cluster assembly has been successfully prepared using carbosilane derivatives as a scaffold. Two synthetic routes have been used: One involves the reaction of a carbosilane containing terminal Si-Cl functions with the lithium salt of the phenyl-o-carborane, and the second one consists of a highly efficient hydrosilylation of tetravinylsilane with the corresponding carboranylsilane. The crystal structure of this carborane-containing carbosilane compound has been determined by X-ray diffraction.     

Helical-chain copper(II) complexes and a cyclic tetranuclear copper(II) complex with single syn-anti carboxylate bridges and ferromagnetic exchange interactions

Tridentate Schiff-base carboxylate-containing ligands, derived from the condensation of 2-imidazolecarboxaldehyde with the amino acids beta-alanine (H2L1) and 2-aminobenzoic acid (H2L5) and the condensation of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde with beta-alanine (HL2), D,L-3-aminobutyric acid (HL3), and 4-aminobutyric acid (HL4), react with copper(II) perchlorate to give rise to the helical-chain complexes [[Cu(mu-HL1)(H2O)](ClO4)]n (1), [[Cu(mu-L2)(H2O)](ClO4).2H2O]n (2), and [[Cu(mu-L3)(H2O)](ClO4).2H2O]n (3), the tetranuclear complex [[Cu(mu-L4)(H2O)](ClO4)]4 (4), and the mononuclear complex [Cu(HL5)(H2O)](ClO4).1/2H2O (5). The reaction of copper(II) chloride with H2L1 leads not to a syn-anti carboxylate-bridged compound but to the chloride-bridged dinuclear complex [Cu(HL1)(mu-Cl)]2 (6). The structures of these complexes have been solved by X-ray crystallography. In complexes 1-4, roughly square-pyramidal copper(II) ions are sequentially bridged by syn-anti carboxylate groups. Copper(II) ions exhibit CuN2O3 coordination environments with the three donor atoms of the ligand and one oxygen atom belonging to the carboxylate group of an adjacent molecule occupying the basal positions and an oxygen atom (from a water molecule in the case of compounds 1-3 and from a perchlorate anion in 4) coordinated in the apical position. Therefore, carboxylate groups are mutually cis oriented and each syn-anti carboxylate group bridges two copper(II) ions in basal-basal positions with Cu...Cu distances ranging from 4.541 A for 4 to 5.186 A for 2. In complex 5, the water molecule occupies an equatorial position in the distorted octahedral environment of the copper(II) ion and the Cu-O carboxylate distances in axial positions are very large (>2.78 A). Therefore, this complex can be considered as mononuclear. Complex 6 exhibits a dinuclear parallel planar structure with Ci symmetry. Copper(II) ions display a square-pyramidal coordination geometry (tau = 0.06) for the N2OCl2 donor set, where the basal coordination sites are occupied by one of the bridging chlorine atoms and the three donor atoms of the tridentate ligand and the apical site is occupied by the remaining bridging chlorine atom. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that complexes 1-4 exhibit weak ferromagnetic interactions whereas a weak antiferromagnetic coupling has been established for 6. The magnetic behavior can be satisfactorily explained on the basis of the structural data for these and related complexes.